1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, in general relates to beauty products and, more particularly, to a device for removing braids and tangles from the hair.
In particular, African-Americans genetically have hair that resists the formation of longer lengths. Still, these longer length styles can enhance the appearance. Accordingly, it is common for African-American people to attach braids to their own natural hair.
These braids are formed of either natural hair (from any source) or they are formed of a synthetic material and are attached to the African-American's hair by weaving a length of the person's natural hair into an end of the braid, which is then suspended from the natural hair. Several strands of natural hair are used to secure each braid.
When this is repeated, a natural looking attractive array of braids provide the illusion of long hair. The braids can include beads or other ornamentation as may be desired or they can be unadorned.
Installation can take from four to six hours and cost from $75.00 to over $150.00, depending upon the density of installation. These braids typically last from one to two months and must then be removed. Removal takes approximately three hours to accomplish and can cost upwards of $100.00. Removal is labor intensive in that the braid is cut just below where the natural hair ceases. The natural hair must then be untangled from the braid.
No tools exist to facilitate this process. Beauticians will break off the teeth from a comb and use the end as a pick to separate the natural hair apart from the braid. The beautician is constantly setting down the comb (i.e., pick) for scissors and back to the comb again.
The process of removing each braid begins by cutting the braid at the end of the strands of natural hair that support it. Then the braid must be removed from the natural hair. As mentioned above, the only known tool for this purpose is a pick. It is time consuming, and therefore expensive, to have to pick at the natural hair to pull it away from the braid. Yet, there are times when this is required to initially loosen the natural hair from the braid. Then the braid must be pulled off of the hair. Finally, the natural hair is combed to further straighten it.
Furthermore, the density of natural hair is a variable as well. Once the braid has been removed, it is necessary to comb the hair straight, yet this process is affected by the density and curl of the person's natural hair. Accordingly, for some people a coarse comb with only a few teeth are preferred for this process whereas for others, a denser comb with more teeth are preferred. If too many teeth are present in the comb, it is difficult to pass through the hair. If too few teeth are present, additional passes will be required, thereby lengthening the time required to remove the braids.
Accordingly, there exists today a need for a braid removal device that can help ameliorate the aforementioned problems.
Clearly, such an apparatus would be a useful and desirable device.
2. Description of Prior Art
Combs, brushes, and scissors are, in general, known. While the structural arrangements of the above described devices, at first appearance, may have certain similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with any of the prior devices.